Model village set, possibly based on Ditchling, East Sussex; made by David Jones, 1922-1924

Set of nine model buildings, carved, painted and glued solid blocks of softwood (probably pine). The 'village' is somewhat monastic in its appearance. It consists of five church buildings of Norman or Romanesque design, one windmill and three barns or houses. All are painted white, most of the pitched roofs are rust red. Windows and doors are indicated with black ink:

1. church building, with four double windows on the right side and three double and one single on the left side, at each end is a window and a door. To the front is glued a tower with three windows and a door. To the left side, at right angles a small building (transept) with two doors, three double and one single window.

2. church building, with three double windows on each side and a single window and a door on one end. To the other end is glued a flat-topped square tower with a door and three windows.

3. chuch building, the roof is marked with black lines to represent tiles, it has three double windows with double horizontal lines beneath them on each side, a door on the left side and on one end, and a single window on each end. To one end is glued a smaller 'apse' with four double windows, two lines and a single window.

4. church building, with a tower between the narrow 'nave' and 'apse'. The nave has three double windows on each side with red and black horizontal lines beneath them, a door on one side and at the end. The tower is flat-topped, with six double windows, four single windows and two bands of lines. The apse has four double, one single window and red lines.

5. small church building, previously glued to another building as one end is left unpainted. The roof is marked with black semicircles to represent tiles. It has four double windows, one single window and a door.

6. windmill, a tapering oval-shape nailed to a dark brown, rectangular base. The door is located on the reverse, with four windows at various heights up the mill. The domed roof projects slightly over the walls. To the left of the door is painted a black ladder, to the right is a man wearing blue trousers, white shirt, black tunic and hat, with a pink face and hands, stacking light brown flour bags. The white and black sails are nailed on, and can be rotated.

7. barn or house, the roof is painted yellow, with black details to represent thatched straw. It has two doors and four windows.

8. barn, white with black lines to represent stonework. It has a large door and two windows.

9. barn, both ends are painted red, one has black lines to represent brickwork. The long sides are left light brown. It has two doors and three windows.

Purchased from Anthony d'Offay. Items from Hague Estate.

Made by David Jones for the children of Eric Gill.

These toys were made early in David Jones’ career, during the period he spent at the Guild of St. Joseph and St. Dominic, a group of Catholic craftsmen, in Ditchling, Sussex. The toys are probably the result of Jones’ lessons in woodwork by fellow Guild member, George Maxwell, coach builder and carpenter.

This village was probably made for the children of Eric Gill: Elizabeth, Petra (who was at one time engaged to Jones), Joanna, and his adopted son, Gordian. There were many other children living within the Guild who may have enjoyed these toys. The set follows the German toy tradition of sets of tiny buildings, still popular at this time. However, it was perhaps also based on the village of Ditchling itself. The architecture of the building looks back to the Middle Ages, a period in history which we know interested David Jones at this time.

David Jones was best known as a wood-engraver, painter and writer. He is also remembered for his skills in lettering, and an example of his work can be seen in the photograph of the artist. He met Eric Gill ( 1882- 1940), the engraver, in 1921 and was impressed by the work of the Guild which Gill had founded that year. The two artists became close friends and David Jones worked within the Guild for about four years.

MISC.94-1983